10 endangered species saved from extinction by zoos

Taronga Conservation Society Australia is a not-for-profit organisation that leads in wildlife conservation, science and research and animal welfare.

After being almost wiped out by disease, Australia’s tiny Corroboree Frog is being helped back from the brink of extinction by zoos like Taronga Zoo in Sydney

Wildlife is in a fight for survival. The WWF found that there’s been a 58 per cent decline in populations of vertebrates between 1970 and 2012. But despite these shocking statistics, some endangered species are making a comeback thanks to the conservation work of zoos worldwide.

Here are 10 amazing animals that might not still be here without the conservation work of zoos…

The Eastern Bongo is a large antelope that lives in a dense and remote region of Kenya. It’s an elusive creature and was one of the last large mammal species to be discovered.

But it’s become even more elusive since poaching and habitat loss reduced the wild population to shockingly low numbers. There are now perhaps more Eastern Bongos in captivity than in the wild. Across the world, zoos are working together on a Bongo breeding program to maintain a viable population that will act as a safety net for this species survival.

Regent Honeyeater

This brightly coloured Regent Honeyeaterfrom Australia relies on the nectar of a particular species of eucalypt treefor food. Unfortunately, deforestation has meant the loss of this important food source and now it’s estimated that there may be fewer than 1,500 Regent Honeyeaters in Australia today.

This stunning little Panamanian Golden Frog is also incredibly poisonous, a defence it uses to ward off predators. However, this wasn’t enough to protect it from a devastating outbreak of a fungal disease. It’s thought the frog has been extinct in the wild since 2007.

The Bellinger River Snapping Turtle is a unique species found along the Bellinger River in Australia. In 2015, 90 per cent of species was wiped out when a newly discovered disease swept through the area.

In its native Brazil, this striking Golden Lion Tamarin was in serious trouble due to loss of habitat from logging and mining, as well as the threats of poaching.

Since the early 1980’s, there’s been concerted effort from conservation organisations and zoos worldwide to protect the Golden Lion Tamarin from extinction. Today, about a third of wild Golden Lion Tamarins came from those raised in human care.

Amur Leopard

In the wild there are only a few dozen of the incredible Amur Leopard left. Like many species, the Amur Leopard has been pushed close to extinction by loss of habitat, poaching and human development.

However, a breeding program started in the 1960s means 200Amur Leopards now exist in zoos worldwide, ensuring a future for the species. Reintroduction into the wild is difficult but conservation organisations and governments are working together to bring the leopard back to its North-East Asian habitat.

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